07.08.02
The Ten Files
I have been working on my iBook (600 MHz, 128 MB ram, 15GB HD, AirPort) with slow progress being made towards feeling comfortable with it.
I’ve been working in OS X, nearly non-stop. The only time I’ve booted OS 9 was simply to check to see if I could boot OS 9.
It’s been a bit awkward, to say the least. It’s one thing to move to a completely new Operating System. You have the benefit of having everything be differnt, you don’t bring much bagage along.
But *my* switch to X comes as a studder step, a shift in different directions at different levels. I’ve brought along a few necessary tools, DragThing chief among them with it’s keystroke commands for launching apps. Just today I got Fetch installed (Though 4.0’s only a preview release, I’ll have to register if I want to keep it)
The Dock is a little difficult for me to control yet. I’ve thrown it up agains thte left side of the screen mostly because I like having the access on the side of the screen, not the bottom, but if it’s on the right side it covers up the scroll bars of windows.
Beyond that, this is the first time I’ve had a laptop of my own. Sure i’ve had this Compaq from work, but I’ve never done much more than use it as a glorified typewriter for reports with a little bit of HTML development. Now I’m faced with truely bringing the concept of a portable computer into my computing environment.
Since my desk is still covered by my B&W G3, I don’t sit there unless I’m accessing older files directly, so I’ve ended up mostly using the laptop from bed, having my mail and web access siting on my make shift night table.
I’m reading web sites constantly. History, technology, discussions, opinions, all manner of matter has prevaded my mental environment. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing.
Ergonomically, I need to figure out some things. My back is still unhappy with most of my positions, and my right wrist remains in a brace for the tendenitus that I’ve developed over the course of the last few months.
Portland is getting some real rain tonight. It sounds wonderful coming down outside our bedroom window. Perhaps I should set down this digital tool and listen for a bit…